


everything is changing (but this never will)

by LiveLaughLovex



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28624842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: Six months after Lucy completes her training, and a few weeks after Tim accepts a Sergeant's post elsewhere, she drops by his office.
Relationships: Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen, Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 14
Kudos: 142





	everything is changing (but this never will)

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from a "Girl Meets World" quote, because why wouldn't it? I hope you enjoy! :)

“I _knew_ I should’ve given them your picture at the front desk.”

Lucy, who was sitting in Tim’s chair, with her feet propped up on his desk, in the middle of writing up a text to Jackson, glanced up from her phone’s screen to offer him a bright grin. “So they would know to let me in _immediately_?” she guessed playfully.

“So they would know to keep you _out_ ,” he returned, though the smile on his face belied the sternness in his tone. “Get your feet off my desk, Boot.”

She huffed theatrically, then did as she was told. “You know,” she began sullenly, leaning back in his seat with her arms folded over her chest, “I haven’t actually been your trainee for a good, solid six months. Is there any chance you’re thinking of retiring that one anytime soon, or…?”

“No,” he answered honestly, claiming one of the room’s other chairs when it became obvious that Lucy didn’t plan to vacate his anytime soon.

The grin on her face contradicted her defeated exhale. “Yeah,” she sighed, still smiling, “I didn’t actually think you would.”

“Then why ask?” Tim questioned conversationally, leaning forward to snag a folder from his desk and flipping through it absently as he waited for her to respond.

She lifted one shoulder. “Might as well try, right?”

“Sure,” he nodded, closing the file and placing it back where it’d come from. “So.” He leaned forward, steepling his fingers atop the desk. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” she answered, smiling genuinely. “Just thought I’d drop in, see you. Check out the new office. You need more pictures or paintings or… something, by the way. The walls are… very bare.”

“I’ll get right on that,” he assured her dryly. “How’s everything going at Mid-Wilshire? How’re Nolan and West doing?”

“They’re good,” Lucy nodded. “Nolan’s partnered up with Harper recently, which I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of complaints about…” She grinned when Tim simply shrugged, refusing to confirm or deny that his former coworker complained about her former trainee becoming her partner. She did, of course, but there was no need for _Lucy_ to know that. Nolan was her friend, after all.

“…and I’ve been riding with Jackson, since you left,” she continued. “It’s been good. He tests me a lot less than you did, though.”

“Those tests were for your own good, Boot.”

“I know,” she assured him. “Can’t say I miss them, though.”

“Can’t say I blame you,” he replied honestly.

“Yeah, if you’re using the same techniques as a Sergeant that you used as a TO, then I’ve got to say, I’m really surprised there’s no dartboard hanging somewhere with your face on it yet,” she replied mildly.

“There probably is. They’re just good at hiding it.” 

She laughed quietly. “I’m sure that’s what it is.”

“What? You _didn’t_ have a dartboard with my face hanging up somewhere?”

“Landlord doesn’t allow nails in the walls,” Lucy responded sagely.

“That was the only thing holding you back, obviously,” he said wryly.

“Oh, yeah,” she nodded seriously. “That was _absolutely_ the only thing holding me back.”

He returned her smile, then leaned back slightly in his chair to study her silently for a moment. “I’m glad you stopped by, Boot,” he said, sincerely.

“Oh, well.” She shrugged. “It was on the way.”

“On the way?” he returned dubiously. “There’s no way you didn’t sit in forty-five minutes of traffic to get here, Boot.”

“Well, we _do_ live in _L.A_.,” she protested lightly, sighing when he simply continued to stare at her with a knowing look. “It was more like an hour and a half, actually,” she admitted begrudgingly.

“Yeah, I figured.”

She considered him for a moment, almost as if she were having some sort of internal debate, before she finally spoke. “Look, if you make fun of me for this, I’m going to be so pissed at you, but… I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” he replied truthfully.

She arched a brow. “You _did_?” she asked, clapping a hand over her heart with an exaggerated expression of surprise. 

“Yup,” he nodded. “I know next to none of the restaurants in this part of town, because there’s nobody naming off every single one of them, every day, at eleven, without fail.”

She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. “You know, we were having a moment there. It was a good moment. You have ruined the moment.”

“I apologize for ruining the moment,” he said, pushing up from his chair. “So. It’s eleven. You want to go grab some lunch? I won’t even try to stop you from naming all the restaurants, this time.”

“Oh, thank you,” she said sarcastically, standing herself. “That’s very kind of you.”

“I thought so. You ready?” he questioned, gesturing to the door.

She nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Hey,” she said, as they made their way down the hall. “Can I drive this time?”

“Not a chance, Boot.”

“Yeah,” Lucy sighed, smiling brighter than he’d seen from her in a while, “I figured that, too. Some things never change.”

“Some things never _should_ ,” he tacked on pointedly.

At that, her smile only grew. “No,” she agreed softly. “They shouldn’t.”


End file.
